The notorious “club kid” killer Michael Alig, who served 17 years in prison for killing his roommate over a drug debt in a case that became a book and film, died of a six-year suspected drug overdose after his release, the police said. He was 54 years old.
Alig’s death on Thursday or Friday is being investigated as a possible drug overdose, police said. No official cause has been determined, said Aja Worthy-Davis, a spokesman for the New York City coroners’ office, on Saturday.
Alig was part of a decadent 90s party scene characterized by wild fantasies and rampant drug use. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 1997 for the death of Andre “Angel” Melendez.
Alig admitted that he and Robert “Freeze” Riggs killed Melendez, cut off the body and threw the parts into the Hudson River.
Riggs also pleaded guilty to manslaughter. It was released in 2010.
The story became the 2003 film “Party Monster”, in which Macaulay Culkin played Alig.
Alig maintained a presence on social media while behind bars, although he had no access to a computer and dictated tweets to a friend over the prison phone.